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47/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 47 out of 100. Long-term cohort studies

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Abstract INTRODUCTION Little is known about plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p‐tau217) in individuals without a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We studied associations of plasma p‐tau217 with age, sex, education, and genetic risk; estimated the heritability; and conducted a genome‐wide association study (GWAS). METHODS A population‐based biobank recall study of 65‐ to 85‐year‐old twins ( N = 697, mean [SD] age 76.2 [4.6] years; 53% women, 154 full pairs) excluding those with AD based on health registry data. RESULTS Higher p‐tau217 level and likelihood of AD neuropathologic change (p‐tau217 > 0.42 pg/mL; evident in 39%) were associated with higher age and having an apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) ε4 allele. Heritability was 0.56 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36–0.79) and GWAS indicated 45 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) ( p < 5 × 10 −08 ) centered around the APOE locus. DISCUSSION Our results elucidate the characteristics and genetic associations of p‐tau217 in a population‐based setting. We found many 65‐ to 85‐year‐olds without a clinical diagnosis of AD to have AD neuropathologic change based on plasma p‐tau217. Highlights Plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p‐tau217) is a promising biomarker of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We studied plasma p‐tau217 in a population‐based sample of 65‐ to ‐85‐year‐olds. We excluded those with a clinical diagnosis of AD. Older age and having an apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) ε4 allele were associated with higher plasma p‐tau217. Heritability of p‐tau217 was 56% and a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) implicated genes around the APOE region.

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APA 7th

Saari, T. T., Palviainen, T., Hiltunen, M. O., Herukka, S., Kokkola, T., Kärkkäinen, S., et al. (2025). Cross‐sectional study of plasma phosphorylated tau 217 in persons without dementia. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70107

Vancouver

Saari TT, Palviainen T, Hiltunen MO, Herukka S, Kokkola T, Kärkkäinen S, et al. Cross‐sectional study of plasma phosphorylated tau 217 in persons without dementia. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring. 2025. doi:10.1002/dad2.70107. PMID: 40352683.

BibTeX

@article{saari2025-40352683,
  author  = {Saari, Toni Tapani and Palviainen, Teemu and Hiltunen, Mikko O. and Herukka, Sanna‐Kaisa and Kokkola, Tarja and Kärkkäinen, Sari and Urjansson, Mia and Aaltonen, Aino and others},
  title   = {{Cross‐sectional study of plasma phosphorylated tau 217 in persons without dementia}},
  journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia Diagnosis Assessment \& Disease Monitoring},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1002/dad2.70107},
  pmid    = {40352683},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70107}
}

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Key findings

RESULTS Higher p‐tau217 level and likelihood of AD neuropathologic change (p‐tau217 > 0.42 pg/mL; evident in 39%) were associated with higher age and having an apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) ε4 allele.
DISCUSSION Our results elucidate the characteristics and genetic associations of p‐tau217 in a population‐based setting.
We found many 65‐ to 85‐year‐olds without a clinical diagnosis of AD to have AD neuropathologic change based on plasma p‐tau217.
Older age and having an apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) ε4 allele were associated with higher plasma p‐tau217.

Why it matters

In this population-based twin sample of people without a clinical Alzheimer's diagnosis, higher plasma p-tau217 and likely Alzheimer's neuropathologic change were associated with older age and having an APOE ε4 allele, and heritability was estimated at 0.56. This describes a blood biomarker and its genetic associations in people without symptoms, not a treatment or cure.

Study details

Participants697
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 47/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 45 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 47 out of 100.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring)
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring: journal h-index 86 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	4 / 5	2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	2 / 4	697 participants
Effect reported	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	2 / 7	Cited 12 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	2 / 5	4.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 7.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	0 / 6	No other study in this library cites it
Still being cited	1 / 4	Cited 12 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	— / 4	Senior author's record not available — left out of this score
Institution's track record	3 / 3	Broad Institute: institution h-index 2,541 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 3 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40352683)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Points	45 / 96	Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 45 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 47 out of 100.
Total	47 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

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